Container for aging whiskey



July 2z, 1969 D. G. WAKEEM CONTAINER FOR AGING WHISKEY Filed Deo. 22,1966 E? uw /NVE/s/TOQ.` DALE @.WAKEEM,

United States Patent O w 3,456,827 CONTAINER FOR AGING WHISKEY Dale G.Wakeem, Plaid Star Rte., Windyville, M0. 65783 Filed Dec. 22, 1966, Ser.No. 604,056 Int. Cl. B65d 9/04 U.S. Cl. 217-72 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A whiskey aging container of substantially square orrectangular cross section including tongue and groove side and cornerslats each having vertically spaced horizontal grooves to receive slatsforming the top and bottom of the container, each of these bottom andtop slats being formed to occupy predetermined horizontal groovesegments in sealing relation, exterior straps or bands holding saidslats together and forming a strong integrated container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present inventionrelates generally to the whiskey aging art, and more particularly to asturdy, square or rectangular wiskey aging container.

Description ofthe prior art Heretofore, whiskey, and the like, has beenand continues to be aged in round barrels, many of bulging type, whichcause loss of storage space and which are often not strong enough formultiple stacking. These problems are solved by the present novelwhiskey container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In brief, the present invention is a spacesaving, compressively strong whiskey aging container permitting multiplestacking for the storage period or for other purposes. The container issquare or rectangular in cross section and includes side, end, top andbottom slats or staves which are integrated by cooperative tongue andgroove structure and groove structure receiving complementary staveedges.

Objects of the present invention are to provide a novel whiskey, and thelike, aging container which is very strong compressively and laterally,which is of a cross section and configuration permitting substantiallymaximum storage of units within a specified area, which can bedismantled for treating and reuse of the slats or staves, which isinexpensive, and which is highly effective against leakage. These andother objects and advantages are apparent from the following descriptiontaken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF 'DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a top plan View of awhiskey aging container incorporating the teachings of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on substantially theline 3-3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a plan View of a corner slat or stave, the central portionbeing broken away for conservation of space;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a side slat or stave, looking at the innersurface thereof, the central portion being broken away for conservationof space;

FIGURE 6 is a plan View of an intermediate top or bottom slat or stave,the central portion being broken away for conservation of space; and

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of an end, top or bottom slat or stave.

3,456,827 Patented July 22, 1969 Referring to the drawings moreparticularly by reference numerals, 10 indicates generally a whiskeyaging container including the teachings of the present invention. Thecontainer 10 includes side slats or staves 12, corner slats or staves14, intermediate bottom and top slats or staves 16, and end top andbottom slats or staves 18.

Each side slat 12 includes a tongue 20 and a groove 22. A horizontalchannel 24 of arcuate cross section is located near each end of the slat12.

Each corner Slat 14 includes a tongue 26 and a groove 28. A horizontalgroove 30 having an arcuate cross section is disposed adjajcent each endof the slat 14.

Each slat 16 includes a tongue 32 and groove 34. Each end is rounded at36 on the same radius as the grooves 24 and 30 to snugly and rmly ttherein.

One top outer slat 18 and one bottom outer slat 18 includes a tongue 38,ends 40 of arcuate cross section, and an outer edge 42 of arcuate crosssection, said ends 40 and side 42 being joined by curved corners `44.The other top outer slat 18 and bottom outer slat 18 are identical withthe slats 18 just described, except a groove 46 is provided in place ofthe tongue 38, which obviously is required in view of the overall tongueand groove arrangement.

Bands or straps 48, four being illustrated, hold the aforesaid slats infirm assembled relation. Welding 50 or other means, as buckles, secureseach strap 48 in binding operative relation.

It is to be understood, of course, that the grooves 24 and 30 are on thesame radius and that the ends 36, ends 40, sides 42, and curved corners44 are all on a radius complementary to the grooves 24 and 30, so that aliquid tight, snug t obtains throughout. The tongue and grooverelationship of the several slats is also consistent throughout,although, of course, it is not essential that the tongue and groovearrangement of the side and corner slats 12 and 14 be identical with thetongue and groove arrangement of the top and bottom slats 16 and 18.

A bunghole 52 may be provided in one of the top slats 16, as shown, orelsewhere if desired. A bung 54 is shown in the bunghole 52 in FIGURE 3.

The container 10 is illustrated as square in horizontal cross section.This cross section may be rectangular or of some other selected crosssection which achieves maximum utilization of storage space in themanner of a container of square or rectangular cross section. The slats12, 14, 16 and 18 are illustrated as of wood suitable for aging whiskey,and the like. Other suitable material may be employed.

It is apparent that there has been provided a container for agingwhiskey, and the like, which fulfills the obiects and advantages soughttherefor.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and theaccompanying drawings have beeen given by way of illustration andexample. It is also to be understood that changes in form of theelements, rearrangement of parts, and substitution of equivalentelements, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art, arecontemplated as within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A container for aging whiskey, and the like, said container being ofsubstantially square cross-section and cornprising a plurality ofintegrated side, corner, top and bottom slats, a single corner slat ateach of the four corners, means interlocking said side and corner slatsto form a continuous liquid tight wall, means interlocking said topslats into a continuous liquid tight surface, the continuous edges ofsaid top continuous surface engaging the inner surface of said side andcorner slats in liquid tight relation, means interlocking said bottomslats into a continuous liquid tight surface, the continuous edges ofsaid bottom continuous surface engaging the inner surface of said sideand corner slats in liquid tight relation, and means maintaining saidside, corner, top and bottom slats is integrated liquid tight relation,each of said side and corner slats including a tongue and grooveconstruction, each of said top and bottom intermediate slats includingside tongue and groove construction and end edges dened entirely by asingle cylindrical surface of constant radius of curvature and each ofthe top and bottom outer slats having their end edges and outer sideedge dened entirely by a single cylindrical call surface radius ofcurvature, one outer top slat and one outer bottom slat having a tonguealong the inner sides and the other outer top Slat and the other outerbottom slat having a groove along the inner side, said side slats beinginterchangeable, said corner slats being interchangeable, and saidintermediate top and bottom slats being interchangeable, therebyreducing size and conguration stock piling to a minimum and facilitatassembly of barrels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 700,567 5/ 1902 Schwab 217-96FOREIGN PATENTS 1,184,110 2'/ 1959 France. 1,024,928 2/ 1953 France.

169,895 1/ 1935 Switzerland. 355,762 9/ 1961 Switzerland. 191,841 9/1937 Switzerland.

31,492 12/ 1920 Norway.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner

